Technical Accountant

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

•    Monitoring and review of the capital accounting planning and forecasting activities of the Trust. 
•    Review of the fixed asset register, ensuring that it is accurate and complete, and reconciles to the general ledger. 
•    Ensuring regular liaison with the main areas of the Trust that acquire and maintain assets, including but not limited to Estates & Facilities Department, Digital and medical equipment. 
•    Ensuring that all regular and ad hoc capital reports are produced in line with timetables and deadlines. These include Board reports, committee reports and external submissions. 
•    Support the production of 3-year capital plans for internal forecasting and for external submission as required. 
•    Preparing and monitoring monthly capital cash flow projections. 
•    Ensuring the VAT treatment of capital receipts and payments maximises the benefit to the Trust whilst meeting HM Revenue and Customs regulations. 
•    Responsible for reviewing Trust procedures in relation to capital and fixed asset accounting, ensuring compliance with international financial reporting standards. 
•    Prepare capital charge estimates for future years to ensure that projected costs are included in future years planning assumptions. 
•    Attendance at relevant capital committees and meetings. To present and provide advice including capital judgement on business cases.
•    Ensuring operating lease expenditure is accurately recorded and maintained in order that accurate forecasts are prepared. 
•    Ensure that all leases are evaluated and that all Right-Of-Use assets are accounted for correctly in line with IFRS 16 Lease Accounting standard, and that accurate forecasts are prepared. 
•    Supports the Head of Financial Accounting in the collection, collation and input of required information for all monthly, quarterly and year end returns and relevant sections of the annual accounts and notes. 
•    Providing professional financial support and advice to staff within the finance services function and its’ customers. 
•    Proposes policy changes in relation to capital and technical accounting functions and has responsibility for developing and implementing procedures. 
•    Liaising with internal and external auditors providing appropriate support and information to enable them to undertake their reviews. 
•    Ensures the technical accounting function operates within a culture of openness, transparency, responsiveness and efficiency and provides a customer-focused service. 
•    Responsibility for line managing and developing staff within the technical accounting function, so that all staff have agreed objectives, a personal development plan and annual performance reviews so that the provision of services to customers is continuously maintained and improved. 
•    Ensure that corporate tax is accounted for, reported on and returns submitted in line with requirements. This includes VAT and CIS. 
•    Carry out the administration and accounting for provisions in line with all guidance and statutes. Ensure correct processing through the ledgers and appropriate internal and external reporting. This includes accounting for the NHS Resolution activities. 
•    Co-ordinate stocktake returns for the annual accounts plus any ad hoc stocktake requirements. Co-ordinate costing for the reported stock and correct accounting of all stocks on the ledgers. 
•    Maintain the Trusts losses and special payments register.  Ensuring claims are processed in accordance with Trust procedures, reconciled and reported in line with internal and external reporting requirements.

Staffing

•    Ensure the Technical Accounting function operates within a culture of openness, transparency, responsiveness and, efficiency and provide a customer-focused service.
•    Responsible for line-managing and developing staff within the Technical Accounting function ensuring that all staff have agreed objectives, a personal development plan and annual performance reviews so that the provision of services to customers is continuously maintained and improved.

Team-working

•    Working with and supporting colleagues to ensure the smooth running of the service.
•    Working with colleagues to ensure that cover and support are provided across each area.

Communication

•    Communication of complex and/or technical financial information to all Trust colleagues as required.
•    Discussion and query resolution with External & Internal Audit. 
•    Liaison with external bodies as required, including contracting for estate valuation, discussions with VAT advisors and query resolution with suppliers. Communicate using appropriate methods, ensuring proper records are maintained and an adequate audit trail is evident.
•    Communication is required on work prioritisation and allocation of tasks to meet deadlines, collaborative working and input to problem solving and decision making.
•    The post holder is required to communicate by various means including, in person, by telephone, and by email.
•    Regular and effective communication with teams, e.g. regarding updates on relevant issues and key priorities.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills / Freedom to Act

•    Required to analyse technical financial information for inclusion in business cases and complex data returns. 
•    Required to work without supervision to professional standards. Plans own workload and that of the team to achieve objectives within agreed timescales. 
•    Proposes policy in relation to technical accounting and has responsibility for developing and implementing procedures. 
•    Ability to interpret national NHS guidelines and directives, and compliance with accounting standards; assessing and advising on their implications for the Trust. 
•    Draw on finance experience and accountancy qualifications (specifically in financial accounts standards and guidance, financial year end procedures, policies and standing financial instructions) to provide information and advice without reference to line managers. 

Planning and Organisational Skills

•    The post holder is responsible for planning and organising their own workload and that of their team to ensure that objectives and competing demands are delivered to deadlines, particularly around the year accounts production.
•    The post holder will ensure that monthly reporting deadlines are met in line with internal timetables.
•    Uses a range of styles and techniques (e.g. facilitation, coaching and mentoring) to influence stakeholders to ensure that projects are delivered.
•    Ensures that effective, close working relationships are developed and maintained between the finance teams.
•    Develop and maintain good working relationships and communications with other departments to understand the impact of changes in finance on other departments and conversely the reliance on other department for the fulfilment of finance objectives (e.g Year-end accounts, Capital programme).
•    Required to work flexibly responding as appropriate to unpredicted issues often within tight deadlines.